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. 2002 May;161(1):195–204. doi: 10.1093/genetics/161.1.195

A hobo transgene that encodes the P-element transposase in Drosophila melanogaster: autoregulation and cytotype control of transposase activity.

Michael J Simmons 1, Kevin J Haley 1, Craig D Grimes 1, John D Raymond 1, Jarad B Niemi 1
PMCID: PMC1462100  PMID: 12019234

Abstract

Drosophila were genetically transformed with a hobo transgene that contains a terminally truncated but otherwise complete P element fused to the promoter from the Drosophila hsp70 gene. Insertions of this H(hsp/CP) transgene on either of the major autosomes produced the P transposase in both the male and female germlines, but not in the soma. Heat-shock treatments significantly increased transposase activity in the female germline; in the male germline, these treatments had little effect. The transposase activity of two insertions of the H(hsp/CP) transgene was not significantly greater than their separate activities, and one insertion of this transgene reduced the transposase activity of P(ry(+), Delta2-3)99B, a stable P transgene, in the germline as well as in the soma. These observations suggest that, through alternate splicing, the H(hsp/CP) transgene produces a repressor that feeds back negatively to regulate transposase expression or function in both the somatic and germline tissues. The H(hsp/CP) transgenes are able to induce gonadal dysgenesis when the transposase they encode has P-element targets to attack. However, this ability and the ability to induce P-element excisions are repressed by the P cytotype, a chromosomal/cytoplasmic state that regulates P elements in the germline.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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